Wednesday, September 30, 2026 - Japan’s Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi has called for “taboo-free” discussions on whether the country should consider nuclear weapons and nuclear-powered submarines, arguing that changing security conditions require Tokyo to examine options without ruling them out in advance.
Koizumi said the debate should take place as Japan prepares to revise its three major security documents, while stressing that discussing an option does not mean adopting it.
Koizumi pointed to China and Russia’s nuclear capabilities and North Korea’s nuclear development as reasons for reassessing Japan’s security environment. He said Japan needs the capability to deter threats and argued that refusing even to discuss difficult security options could leave the country unprepared.
His comments have drawn attention because Japan has long maintained its non-nuclear principles and remains a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
The remarks have already triggered criticism, including from China, which urged Japan to maintain its non-nuclear principles and meet its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
The debate now puts Japan’s security policy under renewed scrutiny as the government prepares its wider defence-policy review. Any move beyond discussion would require major political and policy decisions, making the coming debate closely watched both inside Japan and across the region.
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